Off the wire
• Fiji seeks stronger ties with Israel  • U.S. grants new LA-Beijing flight to American Airlines  • Tokyo shares close mixed in cautious trade before U.S. election  • Feature: Fear of Clinton presidency drives gun sales skyward in U.S. on eve of election  • APEC key mechanism for dialogue, says Mexico's economic chief  • Occurrence of climate-altering Pacific Ocean wind oscillation unlikely: Aussie authorities  • 1st LD: Midnight vote in tiny New Hampshire town kicks off U.S. presidential elections  • Canada to implement bln-USD ocean protection plan  • 2nd LD Writethru: Midnight vote in tiny New Hampshire town kicks off U.S. presidential elections  • Roundup: China, France prominent guests at Venezuela's int'l book fair  
You are here: 　 Home

Australia Perth zoo loses African lion during dental surgery

Xinhua, November 8, 2016 Adjust font size:

Australia's Perth Zoo's lost a 14-year-old African lion on Tuesday after it entered into a cardiac arrest and died during a dental surgery to have two fractured tooth removed.

The zoo's spokeswoman Danielle Henry told Xinhua on Tuesday that it was a operation which was going absolutely fine until the lion Mandela got into a cardiac arrest in Perth and never regained consciousness.

Henry added that this was the first time an animal has died at the zoo's operating table.

"This is not the first time he is going through such a (dental) procedure, he has had two done before," Henry said.

"We performed CPR on him three times but unfortunately he could not be saved."

Mandela and his brother Nelson, who died earlier this year from pneumonia, came to Perth Zoo from Queensland in 2007.

Only 17-year-old lioness Shinyanga remains at the zoo.

The life expectancy for African lions in the wild is 10 to 14 years, but in zoos they can live longer due to the high-quality diet and veterinary care. Endit